Shalom, PT readers!
My name is Tanya Paz. Please allow me to introduce myself.
I’m third generation Vancouverite on one side and first generation Canadian on the other. The Vancouverites on Mom’s side hailed from Scotland mainly and Dad’s parents were from Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Dad was born in Jerusalem. My parental units met in Vancouver at Oak & 41st, naturally.
I grew up in rural Aldergrove in a house on 6.2 acres – an area now part of Abbotsford – and walked along Fraser Highway to school and back, sometimes carrying my alto saxophone 2.4 kilometres one way, amongst speeding dump trucks and semi-trailer trucks.
I was a Rotary exchange student in Funabashi, Japan for a year and I studied at Université Canadienne en France near Nice for a year. I moved to Vancouver to go to UBC in 1991, and have lived here since in various neighbourhoods. I’ve now lived in the same 496 square feet downtown for 21 years between the West End and Yaletown in an area known as Downtown. Just when I think it isn’t possible to love Vancouver any more than I do, I love it just a little bit more.
I have worked for women’s rights, affordable housing, and sustainable transportation. Most notable is my work locally, nationally, and internationally in carsharing. More information on my career can be found on LinkedIn.
I spend a lot of time volunteering for the City of Vancouver chairing the civic agency Active Transportation Policy Council which advises City Council on walking, bicycling, skateboarding and other modes, and transit.
I’m an urbanist geek who loves data, discussions, process, policy, articles, presentations, helping people change their behaviour, logistics, operations, civic engagement, non-violent strategizing, seamlessly integrated multi-modal transportation, matchy-matchy outfits, tea, and ice cream.
Disclosure: I am currently advising two start-ups: VeloMetro on their Veemo and Hedgehog Recycle. I copy edit Momentum Magazine.
Disclaimer: I fell off my bicycle in a protected bike lane on Hornby Street in September, didn’t hit my head, and have had a concussion since. It’s getting better and I’m expected to make a full recovery but trains, buses, cars, mean comments, loud noise, and bright light make it worse. I miss my bike.
Of course I’m on Twitter.
For kicks I paint bicycles, oil on canvas.
Welcome Tanya. Sorry to hear about your bike accident. Is there a typo in your disclaimer? You said that you “didn’t hit my head, and have had a concussion since”. Should that say you did hit your head?
PS I like how you sneaked “mean comments” into the list of things that make your head worse. I hope this one doesn’t 🙂
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Thank you for the opportunity to confirm: I did *not* hit my head. Apparently, when one is over the age of 40, it is more likely for one to rattle the insides of the head after falling – even without impact on the outside of the head.
There is so much we don’t know about head injuries and people are always surprised that I didn’t hit my head, so I mention it. I didn’t feel concussed until about 22 hours later. And I’ve felt it ever since.
My next bike might be a trike – 25 years earlier than planned.
PS Hee hee. Glad you appreciated that. Your comment didn’t make it worse. 🙂
The only time I received a concussion was during a fall from my bike and, like Tanya, I did not hit my head. So much for helmets preventing concussions. I was wearing a helmet but I wonder if the helmet may have helped to cause the concussion? Lots to learn about concussions.
Hi Tanya. I’ve been browsing this blog for a few months now and haven’t posted yet. I felt compelled to because I always enjoyed your discussion and comments at the Transportation Lecture Program last fall. I look forward to reading your posts this week.
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Gosh, thank you. Added pressure, eh? That City of Surrey/SFU joint program is a marvellous one. Every municipality would probably find it beneficial. https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/7097.aspx